The traditional doctrine of man and not the measurement of skulls and footprints is the key for the understanding of that anthropos who, despite the rebellion of Promethean man against Heaven from the period of Renaissance and its aftermath, is still the inner man of every man, the reality which no human being can deny wherever and whenever he lives, the imprint of a theomorphic nature which no historical change and transformation can erase completely from the face of that creature called man.
The human soul, provided it is pure and strong enough, can contact the unseen in waking life as well as in dreams: all that is required is withdrawal of the soul from the tumult of sensory life.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the potential for the human soul to connect with deeper realities if it can detach from the distractions of everyday sensory experiences.
Seyyed Hossein Nasr's quote highlights the idea that the human soul possesses the ability to engage with unseen dimensions of existence, both in day-to-day life and in dreams, as long as it is pure and sufficiently strong. The essence of this connection requires a conscious withdrawal from the chaotic and demanding distractions of sensory experiences, permitting a deeper exploration of spiritual or metaphysical realms.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a meditation workshop, this quote may be shared to encourage participants to seek deeper truths within themselves.
More from Seyyed Hossein Nasr
All quotes →In traditional societies, nature was seen as one’s wife, but the modern West turned it into a prostitute.
In the traditional Islamic world, the hierarchy of the arts was not based on whether they were "fine" or "industrial" or "minor". It was based upon the effect of art on the soul of the human being.
Similar quotes
What good is it to me that Mary gave birth to the son of God fourteen hundred years ago, and I do not also give birth to the Son of God in my time and in my culture? We are all meant to be mothers of God. God is always needing to be born.
It is better to cherish virtue and humanity, by leaving much to free will, even with some loss of the object , than to attempt to make men mere machines and instruments of political benevolence. The world on the whole will gain by a liberty, without which virtue cannot exist.
As soon as questions of will or decision or reason or choice of action arise, human science is at a loss.
Gods suppressed become devils, and often it is these devils whom we first encounter when we turn inward.
It is time enough, for the rightful purposes of civil government, for its officers to interfere [in the propagation of religious teachings] when principles break out into overt acts against peace and good order.
There are some things about myself I can’t explain to anyone. There are some things I don’t understand at all. I can’t tell what I think about things or what I’m after. I don’t know what my strengths are or what I’m supposed to do about them. But if I start thinking about these things in too much detail the whole thing gets scary. And if I get scared I can only think about myself. I become really self-centered, and without meaning to, I hurt people. So I’m not such a wonderful human being.